Section-break device



.N J. A. WAHLBERG.

SECTION BREAK DEVICE.

FILED NOV. 11| i919.

R O T N E V m W I TNESS ES:

ATTORNEY p Patented lam 2,

pepsi treu NILS J. A. WAHLBERG, OIF PITTSBRGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR'TO WESTING- p HOUSE ELECTRIC t MANUFACTRNG COMPANY, A CORPORATON OF PENN- SYLVANIA.

SECTON-BREAK DEVICE.

Application filed November 11, 1.919. .Serial No. 337,317. .y

To @ZZ whom t may conce/ra: y

Be it known that I, Nine J. A. l/Varrnnnno, a citizen of the United States, and a resident o1c Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and use-ful improvement `in Section-Break Devices, of which the iollovving is a specification.

My invention relates to sectionbrealr devices for electric trolley systems `and particularly to section switches 'for use in connection with minetrolley lines.

@ne object of my invention is to provide a device `of the above indicated character that shalll be simple and durable in construction, economical to -manufacture and effective in operation.

Another object oi my invention is to pron vide a section-break device that shall present a substantially continuous contact-bearing surface by reason of having relatively short air-gaps which, together, constitute a total air-gap space of sufficient length to prevent the carrying ot current by arcs from a live to a dead section of the trolley line'.`

Another object of my invention is vto provide a section-break device that shall have means for preventing the accidental and inadvertent connectionot a line to a dead` section of trolley line` Heretotore, it has been usual, in certain section-break devices, to provide knifeblade or other switches for electrically connecting two sections of a trolley line and in others to provide relatively short air-gaps over which a trolley device may pass without disengagement from metal Contact members.'

In the first of the abovementioned types,

motive Jfrom a live to a dead section, the

trolley of the locomotive striking an arc that may be sustained across the air-gap',

In practicingl my invention, l provide a` section-break device having air-gaps that are relatively short in order to present as little interruption injthe contact-bearing surfaces `as possible and of which a'. plurallty are provided to increase the total airgap resistance. rlhe arrangement provides at least one intermediate contact member that is notl positively vconnected to either trolley-conductor section and which may be completely electrically isolated when the switch is open. l further provide an auxiliary switch-jaw member for co-operation with theswitchfblade member, vand means co-operating vviththe auxiliary j aw member for locking the blade member, in its open position.y

Figure 1 of theiaccompanying"drawings is a side elevational view of va section-break device embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view thereof.

1n general, the devicezcomprises elongated,v rectangular, insulating body member 1, of wood or other suitablematerial, terminal members2 and 3, an intermediate cond'uctmg'member 4:, switch members 5, 6 and 7 connected, respectively, to the members 2, 4 and 3, a switch-blade member 8, v

a handle member k9 for tliemember 8, and a swivel connectingdevice 10or vcofopei'ationy with a stud oreother member (not shown) by which the device may bev at? tached to the root` of a mine.

Eachof the members 2 and 3 `comprises an inclined channel portion 11 for the reception, respectively, of ends 12 and 13 of sec-` tions of trolley conductorsv that it maybe desiredto separate. rlhe portions 11 are adapted for thereception of'screws 14 that soy engage'the conductors 12 and 13 to securely` grip the latter in place. 'The `members 2 and 3 are, urthereach providedvwith runner portions lextending along the lower edge of the body member 1 which are. pro-` vided with bosses 16 `for the `reception of screws/or bolts 17 extending through the member 1L Y Strap members `-18, preferably oflcopper, l

extend along the top of the body member 1 and serve as means for Aconducting curl- `rent from the terminal-members 2 and 3y to the switch members 5 and 7 the strap mem bers 18 being held in positionbythe screws 17 andscrevvsv `19 in the` members 2 and 3.

The intermediate yconducting member Ll,

constitutingv a runner-similar .to the p or-k y tions 15 ofthe members 2 and 3, is supsingle, elongated .insulatingmeinbien` end i' v adjacent trolley,-cjonductorY ran ported ou the body member* l by a screw or bolt 2O that extends from a boss 2l on the members?, through thev bodyv member l vto the swivel device 10.

The adjacent ends of the portions l5 and the member lf are spaced a relatively short distance apart andl have diagonal surfaces which permit the ends to overlap, thereby providing suitable air-gap distance andlpre` senting a substantially,continuous contact surface to a trolley device.

The switch members 5, 6 and 7 are posi-` tioned in countersunk portions kor groeves in the upper edge of lthe member l from which they extend" laterally and arelheld in position by the screws 17 andjQO. V The bla-de member 8 is pivoted to the member 5 by a pin22. 'l l An auxiliary jaw member is seated in a groove at the top of the m'ember'll ,afdja .cent to the terminal: 2 and is adapted to receive the blad-e member 8 Ain the full open position of the latter. Apadlock 25l ,shown in broken lines, may be'placed through an opening 24 in the auxiliary jaw member v23, or other means may beemployed to prevent the removal of the blade member Strom the'auxiliary jaw member 28', and',thus, pre- Vent the inadvertent closing of the` switch.

A section-break device, ythe above da scribed construction, permits workmen to work in safety kon a dead sectionwithout` danger of injury tliroughl inadvertent or acv cidental closing-ofthe switch o r thepass-` ing of a locomotive from a liye to a dead section. y 4 Y A ,A l

. While lhave sh'ownanddescribed a particular form lof my invention, changes may be eEecteid therein Without departing 'from the spirit land scope thereof, as 4set forth in the accompanying claims.

l claim as my invention: v u

l. A section breal device comprising. a single elongated insulatingpinemb'er, end members having means for attachment to ad'- jacent trolley-conductor sections `and trolleyf runnerl portions extending Vinwardly and under the insulating member, an intermediate "trolley-runner member mounted under the insulatinginembeigfsaid trolleyrunner member and portions having spaced overlappingends to"l pr Yide' continuous under-running trolley--contactor surface, s stationary switch 4member connected tomsaid trolleyrunner member, similar statibnary switch members connected to each of said trolleyrunner portions and a lswitch arm for connecting all of'said stationary switch members. ,A f 2. A *section-,break devleejcomprislng a members having means for hment to 1o s and't olleyrrl'lfmer' .finitions exten 111s Wefflr along and under the irlSl ating` Illinilider, an.

members for connecting all or the switch 75 members and means arm in position. y Y,

3. A section-break device comprising `an elongatedinsulating support having transverse grooves in its top surface and vertical openings extending through the support and entering the grooves, end members having means for attachment to adjacent trolleyconductor sections and trolleyrunner` portions extending inwardly under the support, a trolley-runner member disposed'between said portions and having ends disposed' in spaced overlapping relation to said portions, transversely extending stationary switch members one of which is fitted in each of said grooves; members serving a`s-conductors and mechanical supporting means disposed in said vertical openings and joining said trolley-runner member and portions to said switch members andy a switch arm for connecting all olf said stationary switch members.

4. A section-break device comprising a plurality of, stationary conducting members spaced apart to provide a plurality of air- 100 gaps therebetween, a plurality otlaterallyy projecting stationary switch members connected to certain lof said stationary conduct-` ing members, and. a switch arm pivoted' at one end and'connected to one of the end sta- 105 tiona'ry conducting members for electrically connecting and disconnecting all of saidy coni'or locking said switch n ducting members.

5. Aj, section-break device comprising a plurality of stationary trolley-conducting members spaced apart to provide a plurality of air-gaps therebetween, .the end conducts ing` members being connected to atrolley line at all times, and a switch arm for con? necting all of said conducting members and permitting an intermediate one of said conducting members to be entirely,disconnected from the switch arm when theswitch is open.y

6. A sectionbrealr device comprising a y plurality of stationary trolley-runner Amembers spaced apart to `provide a plurality of airfgaps therebetween, a stationary switch memberdconnected to each oi' saidv trolleyrunner members aud a single switch arm pivoted at one end to one oit thel end stationary switch `members for electrically `connecting all of said stationaryswitch members. l

7. A lsection-break `device comprising a pluralityf of stationary conducting members spaced' apart to provide a plurality ofair- 130 gaps therebetween? a switch member connected to each of said conducting members and a single switch arm pivote'd to one of the end conducting members for electrical-ly connecting all of the conducting members.

8. in a section-break device, the combination with an insulating supporting structure and spaced trolley-conducting members sup-` ported thereon, or' means for electrically connecting saidl conducting members comprising switch members connected to said conducting members7 a dead switch member supported on theA supporting structure outside the switch7 a switch arm pivoted on one of said first switch members for joining said trolleyconducting members and means on said dead switch member for locking the sWitcli arm in its open position.

disposed under the support and spaced apart4 to provide a plurality of air gaps therebetween, a plurality of stationary switch memn bers projecting laterally 'from the upper side of the support and connected to certain of said trolley-runner members, and a switch arm pivoted at one end and connected to one of the end trolley-runner members for electrically connecting and disconnecting all of said trolley-runner members.

' In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribedv my name this 30th day of Oct. 1919.

NiLs J. A. WAHLBERG. 

